Today’s Monday Motivation article: 5 Scientific Ways to Build Habits that Stick (Ciotti, 2013), provides some great advice on how to form habits. To check it out, click the link below under the Reference header. These are the 5 ways:

Make “micro quotas” and “macro goals”

Create behavior chains

Eliminate excessive options

Process plan (but don’t fantasize)

Eliminate “ah-screw-its”

One of the best of his ideas is the use of micro quotas and macro goals. What does this mean? It means we set big goals and then create small actions that we can execute every day that will build into these big goals. The best example that I’ve implemented is writing a book. The book is the macro goal. The micro quota is writing a section of my book each day. Your micro quota may involve writing to a set time limit, like 20 minutes each day or a specific word count, like 500 words per day.

I have done a few things to improve my productivity. I have purchased an EVO planner (see https://projectevo.org/). This is a cool planner that has a digital component. You scan your days and weeks, after you’ve reviewed your performance for the day. It also features a free test to determine what your brain type is. Mine is The Alchemist. I have to say it is pretty accurate. Check it out. This may be a good solution for you to try out.

I have also become quite proficient with my daily rituals and decided to triple my efforts by creating what are called mini-days. I run through 3 mini-days each day, starting tomorrow. Each day will involve something related to the mental, physical, spiritual, and social components of my life. I found that I have become so efficient that I need to add more activities to my day to fill it. Bonus all around!

Here’s my agenda for the week:

Exercise daily

Meditate daily

Learn something new daily

Get out and socialize daily by eating out, working at a coffee shop, or writing at a library

Read my Bible daily

Write one section of my book daily

Code daily

Here’s another suggestion for you if you would like an easier time of automating your to-dos. Use a task app. I use Toodledo (see https://www.toodledo.com/tasks/index.php). I set all of my tasks that are part of my daily ritual to repeat daily. As I complete them, they move to the next day. You can use other apps too. Wunderlist and ToDoist are also good.